What is health equity?
How can we reduce health inequities?
Health Nexus resources
Video clips
Other resources
References
What is health equity?
Some population groups are healthier than others, not by personal choice, but because of social, economic and environmental circumstances, over the course of their livesi. Education, unemployment, gender, poverty and sexual orientation are just a few examples of these circumstances, called the social determinants of healthii.
When differences in health are because of reasons that are systemic, patterned, unfair, unjust and actionable, those differences are called health inequitiesiii.
How can we reduce health inequities?
Promoting health equity requires improving the living conditions that keep us healthy, and the social, economic, and health systems that support us when we get sick. Furthermore, tackling the inequitable distribution of power, money and resources is essential for improving health equityiv.
When planning services, programs, and policies it’s important to consider all three aspects of the Equity Triangle: access to services, equality of opportunity for the social determinants of health, and equality of health impacts and outcomesv. It can be difficult to predict how any given program will affect health equity. Health Nexus is a Champion Organization for the Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) toolvi, developed by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care as a way for organizations to identify how their programs, services and policies could positively impact health inequities.
Health Nexus Resources
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Increasing Organizational Capacity for Health Equity Work: A Literature Review for Health Nexus Provides evidence from the literature on how to embed health equity into organizational capacity. The discussion section provides health promoters and health promotion organizations with evidence to serve as a foundation for tangible health equity activities. |
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CAWI Stories: Sharing of Voices and Decisions At a story-gathering session, community partners and staff members of the City for All Women Initiative (CAWI) discussed: “What is different about partnership (working with others) that centers the experiences (voices) and decision-making of equity-seeking (justice/fairness) groups?” The story-sharing and paper quilting which followed highlighted important insights about the qualities and actions central to CAWI’s collaborative leadership approach. |
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CAWI: What Actions Support Sharing of Voice and Decisions? (Quilt) |
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Seeing the Unseen: An introduction to Health Equity Impact Assessment Provides an overview of key concepts and definitions in Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) and will help readers usethe HEIA tool to address health inequities in their work with marginalized populations. See the videos section of this page for a webinar recording on this topic. |
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Health Equity and Racialized Groups: A Literature Review Presents a framework for understanding and action on racialized health disparities. |
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Addressing Health Inequalities for Racialized Communities: A Resource Guide Supports those who are engaged in health promotion to reduce racialized health inequities |
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Primer to Action: Social Determinants of Health. Describes how the Social Determinants of Health impact chronic disease. |
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Are Widening Income Inequalities Making Canada Less Healthy? Executive Summary and Full Report Explains why Canadians cannot afford to be complacent about the growing income gap in our society. |
Video clips
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Hanifa Kassam: Inclusion and equity in strategic planning (7 min) |
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Suzanne Doerge: Creating inclusive cities for all women (6.5 min) |
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Khalida Bello: Intentional inclusion and cultural humility (6.5 min) |
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Maureen Owino: From service users to change agents (19 min) |
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Dr. Roberta Timothy: Historical and contemporary context of intersectionality in Canada (13 min) |
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Dr. Roberta Timothy: Webinar - Literature review on intersectionality, anti-oppression and collaborative leadership in practice (62 min) |
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Let’s start a conversation about health…and not talk about health care at all |
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Unnatural Causes – is inequality making us sick? This documentary series which explores racial and socioeconomic inequalities in health. Includes short video clips on specific health equity topics. |
Series trailer: |
Other resources
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Let's talk… Health equity series Designed to promote discussion and understanding of key concepts in health equity and spark dialogue, reflection, and action to address the social determinants of health. The series is available in English and French. Let’s Talk: Health equity | 2013 |
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Organizational Self-Assessment Tool Designed to assist all types of organizations in assessing their diversity, equity, and inclusion work. It can be used as a discussion starter in order to enhance understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as to celebrate successes, identify areas for improvement and set a roadmap for action. |
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Policy Approaches to Reducing Health Inequalities A briefing note intended to help distinguish between broad approaches to reducing health inequalities. It clarifies how different policy approaches are grounded theoretically and how they might produce different effects in efforts to reduce health inequalities. |
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No Barriers Health Equity for All: Toolkit & practical guide Developed to assist decision-makers, program planners, service providers, and front-line staff in their work to improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities. Content covers concepts of health equity and the social determinants of health as well as practical tools, resources, and methods to support translating knowledge into evidence-informed action. |
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City for All Women Initiative - Equity and Inclusion Tools The City for All Women Initiative's website offers a number of resources in English and French to support work in equity and inclusion: Equity and Inclusion Lens Handbook | 2015 |
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The State of Health Equity in Ontario |
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10 Promising Practices Fact Sheets Fact sheets designed to help public health practitioners and community partners apply promising practices to reduce social inequities in health. A common format identifies essential components, key issues, and tools and resources for each promising practice. |
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Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian facts This book, available for download in English and French, offers extensive data on the inequitable distribution of the social determinants of health in Canada. The authors describe the impact of this inequity and offer recommendations to improve population health through action on an oft-cited list of 14 social determinants. |
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Health Equity: Programs, Projects and Practice |
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First Steps to Equity. Ideas and Strategies for Health Equity in Ontario 2008-2010 |
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What is the Population Approach? |
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Levelling Up (Part 1) a Discussion Paper on Concepts and Principles for Tackling Social Inequities in Health Proposes 10 principles for policy action to advance health equity and clarifies key concepts like “social gradient” and “levelling up.” |
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Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion |
References
i Government of Canada. Chief public health officer’s report on the state of public health in Canada: Addressing health inequalities. 2008.
ii Raphael, D. About Canada: Health and Illness. Black Point, NS: Fernwoood Publishing. 2010
iii World Health Organization. Health Impact Assessment: Glossary of terms used, 2016. Available at http://www.who.int/hia/about/glos/en/index1.html
iv Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health. Final Report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Geneva, World Health Organization; 2008
v VicHealth. Please, Places, processes: Reducing health inequalities through balanced health promotion approaches. 2008
vi Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. Health Equity Impact Assessment. 2012